Just A Minute

Hi everyone -

I've only recently got round to joining this group after getting the
invitation.

>1. My favourite Just a Minute panellist is....

Sticking just to the living, probably Paul Merton. If not, then
Kenneth Williams.

>2. If I could pick four people for my best ever Just a Minute panel,
>they would be...

Well, to be honest, the classic lineup of Derek Nimmo, Kenneth
Williams, Clement Freud and Peter Jones. It's not so much that other
players aren't individually as funny or clever, it's just that they
worked so well together as a group.

>3. The person/s I would like to hear more of on Just a Minute is....

The variation in the teams these days is part of the fun - you never
know exactly who you'll get. So I'd keep the mix pretty much as it is.

>5. I think if Kenneth Williams and Paul Merton
>had ever been on the show together....

It probably would have worked very well. In the classic lineup, I
reckon Paul Merton would have fitted in more-or-less as a replacement
for Derek Nimmo. (Not that they're remotely similar as performers, but
I just think it would have left the best combination. )

>6. The funniest moment ever on Just a Minute was...

That's very hard to pick. Clement almost giving out his phone number
was funny - but also Tony Slattery's "it's hailing a taxi" speech on
the ITV version was hilarious, and there were so many great moments
with Kenneth Williams. I could easily go on.

>7. The reason I love listening to Just a Minute is...

JAM in particular strikes a nice balance between reasonably
intellectual discussion at the one end, and downright silliness at the
other. I like that.

>8. If you've been to a Just a Minute recording, tell us about it!

I went to one at the end of 2006: the Tunbridge Wells recording with
Paul Merton, Maria McErlane, Clement Freud and Kit Hesketh-Harvey. It
was great fun, although sadly a couple of hilarious moments didn't
make it into the transmitted show.

Bizarrely it turned out I had a seat next to a friend of mine, who I
didn't know was into JAM.

>9. If you've ever played Just a Minute yourself, tell us about it!

I've played it several times. I'm associated with a group of ISIHAC
fans who congregate at least once a year at a hotel or pub to play
ISIHAC for real (buzzers, pianist and everything; we even record it).
As the evening progresses, we also play JAM, although I don't think
we've ever recorded that.

>12. If I had to speak for 60 seconds on a subject without
>hesitation, repetition or deviation, it would be...

I've found, through playing the game, that the best subjects to talk
on are ones you don't actually know much about. With ones you know
well, you get caught up in the facts and forget to watch what you're
saying. If you're bluffing it tends to be easier to choose
non-repetitive words and keep on topic.

--Darren

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